Cold-dispensing can.



B. BRAZELLE. COLD DISPENSING CAN. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1909.

1,007,060, Patented Oct-31, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT onrron.

BENd'AMIN BRAZELLE, 0F KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY A.HAMILTON,

. TRUSTEE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COLD-DISPENSING CAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patcnted Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed May 12, 1909. Serial No. 495,468.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BRAZELLE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Kirkwood, county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cold-DispensingCans, of which the following is a specification.

According to the present practice of using ice for cooling purposes, theblocks of ice are uncovered and the water resulting from the meltingthereof either commingles with the liquid to be cooled or is wasted. Inthe latter case, the water runs off at a very low temperature and thusfails to exercise its full cooling effect; and in the former case, it isimportant that the ice should be perfectly sanitary.

The principal objects of the present invention are to utilize the fullcoolin effect of the ice, to avoid Waste of materials, to expediterefrigeration of the cooling medium, to facilitate the distribution ofthe cooling medium in measured quantities, to effect the dry cooling ofprovisions and the like, and to secure sanitary advantages.

The invention consists principally in refrigerating predeterminedvolumes of a suitable liquid in thin, hermetically sealed containers.

It also consists in the details and features hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification, andWherein like symbols refer to like parts Wherever they occur, Figure 1is a perspective view of a sealed liquid-containing vessel conforming tomy invention, a portion of the side being broken away to show the pieceof wood provided therein to overcome the of feet of freezing of theliquid; and, Fig.2 illustrates the container in the form of a cartridgefor individual use.

According to my invention, suitable containers 1 are nearly filled withwater or solutions of suitable salts, leaving an air space in the top ofthe container. A piece of wood 2is inserted in the container, which isthen sealed and exposed to refrigerating action, as in any of the wellknown processes of manufacturing ice. When the refrigeration has beencarried to a suflicient extent, the containers are removed and are readyto be delivered to the consumer. -The use of the air space and of thepiece of wood in the container is to permit expansion of the liquid dueto freezing and thereby overcome the tendency to rupture the container.

The stick of wood is longer than the width of the can or is otherwiseadapted to extend a considerable distance below the surface of theliquid. For convenience in handling, the container is provided with asuitable bail or handle 3.

The most suitable form of container is a Wide flat-sided can ofcomparatively slight thickness, say about an inch and a half or twoinches thick. On account of the thinness of the can, the refrigerationof its contents may be accomplished rapidly; and likewise on account ofthe large radiating surface, its cooling effect is rapid. The wide flatsides permit the containers to be stacked with stability. 'When thusstacked fiatwise, the total area of exposed surface of the con tainersis reduced by the areas of the meeting sides thereof; and consequentlythe loss of energy during delivery may be reduced by this method ofstacking and likewise the rate at which the containers produce theircooling effect may be controlled by separating or stacking them asdesired. As the containers are hermetically sealed, there is no occasionfor a separate ice chamber in the refrigerator, as the containers may beplaced in the same chamber as the provisions or substance to be cooledor directly in contact therewith. In order to permit this last-mentioneduse, it is preferable to make the containers With a sanitary surface.For instance, the containers may be made of aluminum or of othersuitable metal coated with tin, nickel or zinc, or with a suitable glazethat will substantially resist the attack of the common organic acids.coating should protect the joints and solder as Well as the body of themetal. These flat containers make convenient rests or supports forprovisions or vessels containing the substance to be cooled. As theliquid 0 is hermetically sealed in the containers, there is no occasionto consider sanitary conditions with respect thereto; whereas in thepresent practice, great precautions must be taken to insure the sanitarycondition of the 105 ice, and a fresh supply of distilled or pure .wateris needed for every freezing operation. It is, therefore, permissibleaccording to my invention to use any suitable liquid solution in thesealed containers, such for Such 5 instance, as an aqueous solution ofsulfate of soda, or of calcium chlorid, or of magnesium chlorid, or amixture of (glycerin and water. One of the principal a such salinesolutions is that their increase of volume due to freezing isconsiderably less than the increase in volume incident to the formationofice from plain water; and consequently the tendency to rupture thecontainers 1s minimized thereby. In the case of the mixture ofglycerinand water, the freezing point is below the practicalrefrigeration temperature, and consequently there is no risk of rupturedue to the freezing of the mixture. Another advantage of the presentinvention is that the contents of all cans may be made uniform or indefinite proportions suitable for delivery and use for householdcoolers; whereby all occasion for weighing is avoided. So, too, asthereis no waste orleaka e from the container, no humidity is introducedinto the air surrounding said container.

While fiat cans are preferable for household use, the container may bemade in the form of sealed tubes or cartridges for individual use, asillustrated for instance in Fi 2. When such cartridges or tubes are ma eelongated and of small diameter, for invantages of noomeo stance aboutone inch or less, they are ca able of individual use. For mstance when1t is desired to cool a beverage, one of these cartridges is inserted inthe glass or other vessel containin the beverage, and such cartrid e maye removed whenever desired. or such use cartridges may be made of blocktin or other metals that are too expensive for general purposes.

Obviousl my article admitsof consider- .able mod' cation wlthoutdeparting from my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to thespecific construction shown and described.

What I claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is:

As an article of manufacture, a thin flatsided sealed metallic cannearly filled with a liquidadapted to be frozen therein and containing astick of wood whose length is greater than the width of the can.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses this 10th day of May, 1909.

BENJAMIN BRAZELLE. Witnesses:

James A. CARR, JOHN Orr.

